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The Ottawa Mission prepares for Thanksgiving dinner

It is one of the busiest times of the year for the Ottawa Mission, which is preparing to feed hundreds of the city’s most vulnerable on Thanksgiving Monday. An estimated 2,800 meals are expected to be served over nearly six hours, and that means food preparation starts early.

“We’ve got great volunteer support,” said Shirley Roy, with the Mission, about the dinner that has grown every year. “It started as a meal for people in shelters, and they saw people in the community ask about Thanksgiving dinner. It’s evolved into a big community event.”

Preparation was already well underway Saturday, as turkeys were being cooked, sliced and frozen. More than 100 volunteers help pull off the special holiday meal, which is for those who are homeless, hungry or alone.

Typically, Thanksgiving is a busier time than Christmas for the Mission, since winter weather hasn’t quite set in, which can make it difficult for some people to get around. Donations of food and money help fund the massive meal, but the help is needed beyond just the holidays. For a list of most-needed items, visit ottawamission.com.